WWDC 2017: What to Expect and How to Watch Event Livestream

In less than 24 hours, Apple will kick off its much anticipated WWDC 2017 event in San Jose, CA. So far, there are a number of rumors alleging the company of various product announcements: both software and hardware.

The annual WWDC event is normally dedicated for developers of the Apple ecosystem. Be it the Mac of the iPhone, hundreds of software developers gather yearly to showcase new technology. New apps for both the Mac and iOS devices will also be introduced during the said event. This year, however, it will be somewhat different. Rumor has it that Apple will use the same event to launch new hardware products. This is something that Apple has not done since 2013.

iOS 11 launch

Of course, this will probably be one of the highlights of the event. Apple has already released the developers beta of iOS 11 months ago. Since then, there have been a number of revisions released. While the current beta version is still not available to the public, perhaps the event will finally open it to mass users for testing.

iOS 10 on an iPhone (via apple.com)

iOS 11 is said to introduce a considerable degree of improvements of features compared to iOS 10.3. Chief of which is the deeper integration of the Siri app to other iOS apps as well as third-party applications.

According to earlier reports, Siri will be closely integrated with the iMessage app along with contextual and machine learning. In addition to this, Apple is also considering making the Siri app available to more third-party apps, as reported by 9to5Mac.

New iPad Pro launch

It has long been rumored that Apple will launch a new iPad Pro during the WWDC 2017 event. The new model, a 10.5-inch iPad Pro, is said to feature a micro-bezel design. Furthermore, it will retain much of the aspect ratio of the original iPad Pro. Additionally, earlier reports claim that the tablet will be the first iOS device to feature an in-display Touch ID sensor. However, some experts believe that it may not be the case. This is due to reports from the supply chain claiming Apple is having issues with merging the said sensor to the display.

Apart from the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, Apple is also expected to unveil an update of the bigger 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This model will retain its original design, featuring only internal upgrades like a new ARM SoC.

iPad Pro (via apple.com)

Siri Speaker launch

The second hardware announcement expected from Apple is the Siri Speaker. As mentioned earlier, the last time the company has used the WWDC event for a hardware launch is back in 2013 with the cylindrical Mac Pro. Now, instead of having just one product announcement, it seems that Apple will be introducing two new products during this year’s event.

The Siri Speaker is quite similar to Amazon’s Echo virtual assistant. However, as reports from Bloomberg last week reveals, Apple is banking on the high fidelity speakers on the Siri Speaker to beat the Amazon Echo. In addition to this, the Cupertino company hopes to gain consumers with the broad integration of iOS apps to the Siri hardware.

Unfortunately, in the same report from Bloomberg, Apple might not be able to release the Siri Speaker later this month. According to the report, the official release may happen much later in the year.

macOS 10.13 launch

Finally, for desktop and laptop applications, Apple is also expected to launch the incremental update for the macOS 10. According to rumors, the next macOS name will start with the letter “M” and so far, there have been many candidates for it. Nevertheless, names like Mojave, Monterey Bay, and Mammoth are considered some of the more viable choices.

Apple Watch app on macOS 10.13 (via idropnews.com)

macOS 10.13 is expected introduce new features to the Mac including, but not limited to, FaceTime conference calls, redesigned dock, health app, and iTune redesign.

How to watch the event online

For those who will not be making it to the WWDC 2017 event can watch it via Apple’s streaming service, the Apple TV. On the other hand, for those who do not own an Apple TV can still do so by clicking on this link.

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